An early sound recording and playback device similar to a phonograph, using a stylus to vibrate against wax cylinders or discs.
Grapho- (writing/recording, from the stylus literally writing sound vibrations) + -phone (sound). Invented by Edison's rival, competing with the phonograph.
The graphophone was an acoustic marvel—it recorded sounds by having a stylus vibrate and etch tiny grooves into wax, then played them back by running a needle through those same grooves, making sound visible as writing!
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